Without grass, a golf course would not be much fun to play and there are many pests that can ravage a golf course when not controlled. Cultural practices can help alleviate pest outbreaks, but at times pesticides are necessary. Monitoring, sampling and mapping pest issues at a course over time helps to reveal patterns that can guide product selection and timing to prevent outbreaks and reduce the risk of damage.
Working in Europe for almost four years, I was surprised to observe how strict some countries were with regulations around pesticides and their use. To hope that similar restrictions and regulations will never impact the U.S. and our golf course industry may prove to be wishful thinking. There is legislation currently proposed to ban certain insecticides critical to maintaining golf course turf. Additionally, there is a desire to move the U.S. to pesticide regulations that mirror the European Union. It’s important to support advocacy and educational efforts aimed at explaining the value and scientific realities of these products, but it may also be worth making plans for worst-case scenarios. Does your agronomic program rely heavily on pesticides or one pesticide in particular? What would happen if that pesticide registration was lost or the allowed rate or number of applications was cut? What would be the alternative plan?
It’s good to take stock of the pests that affect your course and the applications made to control them. Organizing these by chemical class, mode of activity and number of applications can provide better clarity about whether you’re depending too much on one chemical or one class of chemistry. Bringing in different management approaches – whether chemical or cultural – can help reduce applications and perhaps prolong the longevity of the products that are available. This also makes us great ambassadors for the benefits and responsible use of pesticides.
Pesticides today are generally narrower in spectrum, lower in rates and longer in residual compared to what was available 30 years ago. We also have fewer modes of activity to control pests. There are fewer new chemicals being introduced each year, leading to more reliance on what is available. As a result, it’s more important to monitor, sample and track pest populations to ensure that control is maximized while minimizing the risk of another pest becoming problematic.
I once helped a golf course in an environmentally sensitive area put together a plan for each pest and preferred treatments based on thresholds, optimum timing for applications and risks based on water solubilities, half-life, and potential for binding to organic matter. This was a great exercise as it helped alleviate concerns from the public and governmental agencies, and it really helped prioritize what was most needed and what wasn’t in terms of pesticide applications.
The best time to prepare for a crisis is before it hits. Having a plan and an alternative plan helps keep you ready for any changes that may occur. The USGA Green Section is happy to help in any way we can.
Southeast Region Agronomists:
Chris Hartwiger, director, USGA Course Consulting Service – chartwiger@usga.org
Steve Kammerer, Ph.D., senior consulting agronomist – skammerer@usga.org
Jordan Booth, agronomist – jbooth@usga.org